Socket



June 30, 1925.

SOCKET W. S. RAWSON 4 l l n ll u ATA-117111112171711!! INVENTOR PatentedJune 30, 1925.

WILLIAM s. Rawson, orsrn-INGrrELD, MAssaoiiIUsnr'rs.

seeker.

Application flied January an, '1922. sei-iai No. 532,925.;

To all whom t may concer/ni.'A

Be it known that I, VUJQIAM S. Rawson, a citizen of the United States,residing at 91k Phoenix Terrace, Springfield, in the county of Hampden,State.oflvlassachusetts, have .invented certain new an'd'usefulImprovements in Sockets; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and enact ydescription of the invention, such as willenable Vothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

lThe present invention relates tosockets of the kind capable ofreceivingl automobile curtain supports, and particularly to thestructure of the socket. I i

Heretofore, it was customary to form sockets provided in automobiledoors to receive the lower end of curtain supporting rods, without anyclosures, when the supporting rods were removed, but in some cases,closures in the form of plates or covers hinged to the socket memberwereiprovided. Thatv poi'- tion of the supporting rod w'hich extendedinto the socket usually was smaller than the space forn'ied in thesocket member withl the exception, in some cases, ofthe upper-endof thesocket member which tte'd more closely to that part of the rod. Althougha cover, whether hinged or otherwise connected, may have been used, suchcover was not auto'- niatic in its closing action and was frequentlyleft open so that foreign material readily en tered the socket memberand clogged it to the extent that the curtain supporting rods could notbe linserted in place. This type of closure. also made it easy formalicious persons to insert foreign matter in such socket-s with likeresults. There was,heretofore, no device which would act automaticallyto close the socket opening and also to eject foreign material, if anyvwere introduced in the socket, and also to maintain such socket free ofsuch matter.

ln accordance with `this part of my invention, the socket member has apassage which is preferably of uniform cross-sectional area throughoutits length, a cover or member for such passage, preferably being aplunger slidable in such. passage and of substantially the samecross-sectional area, and means to limit the movementof this member. Inthis way the slidable member, in any of Vits positions in the passage ofthe socket member, closes the lpassage to the 'entry or passage offoreign matter to i the rear of the sliding member. l/Vhatever. mattei'may 'i'nent of.

)have been introduced' in the passage, when the sliding memberis'depressed will fimmediately vbe ejected as theislidingxmember returnstoward the outer yend. of the passage.v The means for limitingv the`moveout-ward vmovement ofv the/sliding member with its outer surfaceflush with thefouter end surface of the socket member, vsothat any-foreign matter, surface of the sliding member,l may be veasily brushedasidefor wiped,-off-,without possibilityof its entering into the socketmember.

This limiting means may be ladjustable-:and

preferably comprises arodfastedned to the slid able member, togetherwith. adjustable means engaging with t-'hesocket member for limitingVthe outwardA movement Tof the. slidable member.

The passage may be of non-circular crosssection, ,preferably ofpolygonal form.A The socket member also hasmeans, preferably aflange-which may extend laterally from the socket member, byfwhich vthesocket member may; be fastened to the door of an automobile. 1

t'he sliding member acts to stop ther resting upon the topsor In :aspecific construction the socket member locatedv in the; door of `anautomobile and has a passage open at itsouter end kand closed at itsinnerv end, the shankaof the curtainrod being, slidable in 'suchpassage. A plunger slidably lits insthis passage and is movableinwardly, movable against spring compression when the, rod is insertedin the.

passage and movable outwardly by vthe compressed spring. when the rod isremoved from the socket member.v A.. ro'd is'. connected to the plungerand jengages with thersocket member for limitingzthe `outward-finovementof the plunger, so that the outerfaces of t'he plunger and socket memberarel flush. j

vIn the accompanying drawing illustrating a few embodiments; of theinvention in application, as an example, to yan automobile door and acurtain supporting rod cooperative therewith Fig. l is a sectional viewof the socket-,and `1 pait of an automobile door;vF1g. 2 isatop planview vthereof with the curtain supporting rod removed; Fig. 3 `is aperspective view of the socket member` wlienremoved from the doorf;-F1g.-4 is a sectional viewiof an optional formof socket; Fig. -is: asectional' view taken on lineof Figl; Fig. 6 is a sectional view ofanother Vembodiment of the invention; Fig. 7 is a side view of still -YA helical spring 32l extends between the nut 27 and the plunger 8 andsurrounds the tube and the rod 26. y

When the curtain supporting rod is inserted into the socket member 28,and the plunger 8 depressed, the ball 3l slides down-V wardly in thetube 25, while compressing the spring 32. lVhen t-lie curtain supportingrod is removed, the spring :forces the plunger 8 upward until the ball31 hits against the shoulder 80, thus limiting the upward movement ofthe plunger. In order to have the plunger 8 stop flush with the topsurface of the door, the tube may be rotated by a screw driver therequiredamount to locate the shoulder 30 at the proper. stoppingposition. Y

In Fig. 6 a chain 33 is fastenedy to. a screw-eye 84 to a bolt-eye 36passing through the lower end 37. rl`he latter carries an adjusting nut.

38 and a lock-nut 39. In order thatthe plunger' 35 may run square in thepassage of the socket member, the plunger has a perimetral groove 40. Ahelical spring 41 extends from the plunger to the bottom 37 of theSocket member. Then the curtain supporting rod is inserted and theplunger depressed, the chain 33 becomes slack and the spring 41compressed, and when thev rod is removed, the spring raises the plungerand the chain straiglitens out. Inl order that the upper surfaces of theplunger may become Hush with the top surface of the door, the nut 38maybe adjusted along the bolt 36 to eii'ect a lengthening orshorteningof the effective length of the chain. The lock-nut 39 is thentightenedtolock the adjustment. y

In Fig. 9, the lower end portion 42 of the curtain supporting rodcarriesa laterally extending pin 43, which is adapted to ride through albayonet slotv44. This form of lock is used when the lower end of the rodis circular, so as to prevent the turning of 'the rod in theV socket. Inthis-case the spring 45, bearing upwardly against the plunger 46, is ofgreater strength than the combined weight of the rod and the curtain forthe purpose of holding the'pin V43 in locked position. Otherwise, thesocket construction is similar to that shown in the other figures anddescribed above.

lVhile I have herein described and, on the drawing, illustrated a fewembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to the particular arrangement of arts and details shownand described, but tat other arrangements of parts and details arecomprehended, as do not depart from the scope of the appended claims.

Having ythus described my inventionl what I claim is: Y v

l. A socket device'for automobile curtain fixed to the plunger 85, -andsupports, comprising a sockety member hav- 1 0' a plunger passage, a`plungernon-,ro-

inz3

'tatablyand slidably tting Ainsaid passage and .carryingv a projectioncooperable with an end of said .socket member for klimiting themovementlof said plunger at an end of said passage, yieldable means forpermitting the sliding of said plunger in said passage when a supportisinserted in they to auton'iatically move socket member and said plungerto theend of saidupassage .when said support is removed r from said'socket a member. i

2. A socket normally closing anopen endof said pas-v sage and slidablein said'passage upon in-` so f sertion of said 'support in said passageand vmeans between'said plunger and the endof the socketv remotefromfthe open end there of for limiting the 4movement of saidslid-A ablemember at closing position thereof.

3..A socket capable of receiving an automobile `curtain support andcomprising a socket member having a passage, a member normally closingan open end of said passage and slidable in said passage upon insertioii of said support.V in l'said passage, av

spring for returning said member to closing position when said supportis removed from said passageand means movable with saidy y slidablemember and engaging the socketv -niember at the end thereof remote fromthe open end thereof for limiting the movement of said slidable memberat closing position thereof.

4. A socket capable of receiving an auto- I mobile curtainv support andvcomprising a socket member having a passage, a member normally closingan open rend of said passage and slidable in said passage upon iniessertion of said support in said passage, and

a spring for returning saidinember vto closing -position when saidsupport is removed 'Y from .said passage, and means cooperable with apart of said socket member remote from theopen end thereoffor limitingthe outward movement of said member.

5. A socket device forautom-obile curtain supports, comprising a socketmember hav-` ing a passage ofl uniform cross-sectional area-througlioutthe length thereof, a non.- rotatable slidingmember fitting iii saidpassage and being of substantially the .same

cross-sectional area of said passage, a spring in said passage andacting against said slid ingv member to move it to the end of saidpassage whereby it may be substantially flush with the end of saidsocket member,

and a projection movable with said sliding member and in said passage'and contacting with an end kportion of said socket member for 'limiting4the movement of. the slidingv member in said flushl position butpermitfinsertionv of" said-ie .support in? saldra soeketff members l6.`Asooket': devicei fori.-automobilefreurtam 'e supports,comprsing`asocket; imemberffliaw Luigiv apassage, af: slidi slilclaloily,vfitting; in?

.'Saiclvf passage, ai isprin/,gfE operable 5 against s'aicl Voperablewith :anend portion `of fsai su ortseom risino s l Y a b sli`de1 ltomove' ,.it'lztoward'an: enell ol'ffsaidf..v 'pa'ssage,\faisprojetionextendingifrom said@ slider v and unovableffin said 1 passagei andrco-:1 U uso'el'etmember for limiting the movement ofI s'asi'd k:

lslideri'Substantially. flush Muth tanifend of ing@l a" passage; ot'uni-form'dross-sectional areas]` throughout z the length thereof,"l .Lya e. plunger of substantially?theisame cross--V wenn;

ment-{wantingeagain@- end; ofY said? socket.,

m emberf'ifon: limiting;` the; movement'. ojfsad.

111.1Y Afsocket-capable offreeeivnguan: auto ,3 Y mobllecurtem:support`andicoiugojrising soeket-.memberf 4having,-ajqm'ssege ,ofimifform IerossLseetional area-1l throughout .the length thereof,l` a member fslidable in said passage See tional-:area vas fsaid'pa'ssage, y a.spring o-pfe` `and being of V'substantially "thepsaidycrosssectionaltarea` jas "saidx passage t0 .slidfablyi 1 liti therein, .siiiidplu'ngerl carrying ,a stop@ elementi cooperable with'v an.V endxportion:ofwf

' pass'agef Whensfthel ,support is sin'serted-stheref Y permitltheisli-@ling 'oftheplun'ger" passage when the; supportijs-, insertedlthere! l 8: sooketc mobile curtain.E support r and comprising@ saidisocketnnember to liaiiif the; movement ot` saidff plunger.A ata1s1e1-1'dt of'isarcl: apassa'ge:

whenAV said supporti" isi'removed z from said:- passage' and loapablefof sliclm'g-faliongf'sardi support' is remo-Vedi"therefrom* antlf-"to z apable: ofireeeiavinggan': autoi 'socket member having apassage of uniformi..

crosseseetionals area throughout their-length thereof;V a` =i memberasldable in csaidu paesagevy 'and Qbeingr; ofsubstantiallya theeA Said f.ero'vs sectional larea as'saidu passage; af springfop erable 'to` movesaid slid-able .member ltowaldf=-- thev movementf of f said"sli'clelileiV memberifin i.

" saidy passage, Said.V limiting; mean'srhaving;

means forad-justingQthe limiting aetionf'ofi said: f limiting f meanswhereby 'said s fsli'dablm-v membelf may. be. madef to stop: flusl-nWithf fan: end oi Saidlsoeket-memberi` 9;: A :socket yeapalolei offreoeivinf mobil'ei Curtain .supporti and eomprisngs ai:-

cross-'sectional area 1 throughout 'l their lengtl-i Y ,ther'eof, amemberslidablefinfsaid. passager' ands'beingt of? substantiallythebfsaiclrerossw sectioliallarea'zas said fpa'ssage; a'spril'ig op-ia.n erable toy Amove salad shdable memben toward f.'

an end vof lsaid passage; and-mea1ns eonneeted to sudati@- with Said'sutiable@member:

and operable with yan end @of .Saidzi sockete 10.AfSocketzeapableioffre'ceivingfanv auto'-Y f mobile .curtain support.ancl-y .f Vcomp'msmig 2a socket :memberhaving a.;.passage;.off'unrfomnff along; the a able-iin'embel'rlir Saidpassage-rherebysaicl 90'slid-able membeumay stop; flush; with Van end. of; saidfsooket member;

.mobile cunt-aine support.: and 'compil'rising;v a;-

soc-liet tinember hasingz'a passage A-of uniformi .Y

cross-sectional; area.throughout'fg4 the; =1en=tlrl fin midl lessee-.e

thereofgl ;af,1ne11`1 1;ier slidable' and f beging `of-K substantiall-y1:y th sectional; aneafias said:fpwssage,A

gagi'ng with' saidfsoeket-.memb

"n ssajfd mobile curtain ff support.- andrjreomprising ai soeketcanelberhaving ,agpassageol' 'uniform f.

erossseetonal l, area. ..throughout Vthe lengtjl-r the'neof, Aa.Fmemberslidablevin!lsad@aussaget Y i and being. of; substantiallythe-- 4said 5.erjossf sectional? area asi-:seid: passagis,f la., spring Vo'p erablertoV.movef said..- sl--dablefmember toward Y anl end; of said-passageva1il.11iea1rseecuretl. i tothe:sliclable',memloerf-.forflnnitingpvtliemore# Y mentffof saidslidoblimember .inisaidpasjsage jg.

Wherebyp-said slid-able i memben .may stop-.f

flush Wftlnanr endfQff- 'said-fseeket member, 'saidsocketmembenhwing;meanefor #festem` l iugisaid socket Lmembejr'to'afdoovof mobile? 'fall-* .lj y. 114. A? socket. oapablefof ueeevinganautof mobile-:eurta support'. andy-comprising a."

passage, said socket member having means intermediate 'the ends of said'socket member capable of being fastened to a hidden part of the door ofthe automobile.

l5. A socket capable of receiving an automobile curtain support andcomprising a socket member having a passage o'l uniform cross-sectionalarea throughout 'the lengt-h thereof, a member slidable in said passageand being ot substantially the said crosssectional area as said passage,a spring operable to move said slidable member toward an end oi' saidpassage, and means limiting the movement of said slidable member` insaid passage., said socket member having intermediate its ends alaterally extending flange capable of being fastened to an inner part ofthe door of the automobile whereby said flange is hidden from view.

16. A socket capable of receiving the shank of an automobile curtainsupporting rod and comprising a socket member located in the door of theautomobile and having a passage open at its outer end and closed at itsinner end, said shank of said curtain rod slidably tting in saidpassage, a plunger slida-bly itting in said passage, a spring operableto move said plunger toward the open end of said passage upon theremoval of said shank from said passage and to become compressed uponthe depression of said plunger when inserting said shank in saidpassage, and a rod connected to said plunger and engaging said socket,member for limiting the outward movement of said plunger upon theremoval of said shank from said passage, whereby the outer surface ofsaid plunger is flush withV the outer end surface of said socket member.v

17. A socket device or automobile curtain supports, comprising a socketmember insertable in a body portion of an automobile and having anelongated passage for the reception o't' an end portion of a curtainsupport, a plug slidably fitting in 'said passage, a Stop elementmovable in said passage and cooperating with said slidable plug and anend portion ot' said socket member for bringing 'the plug to a. stop atan end of said passage when said 'support is withdrawn from said socketmember and for permitting said plug to slide along said passage whensaid support is inserted in said socket member, and means forautomatically moving said plug to stopping position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM s. Rawson.

